Khairil Abdul Rahman
Khairil bin Haji Abdul Rahman | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 26, 1972 Brunei |
| Occupation | Naval officer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Known for | Acting Deputy Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (since 2023) |
Khairil bin Haji Abdul Rahman (born 26 December 1972) is a naval officer from Brunei who has been serving as the acting Deputy Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) since 2023.
Education
Khairil was born in Brunei on 6 July 1975 and enlisted in the 13th Intake of the Boys Company within the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) in January 1991. Between 1993 and 1995, he attended South Devon College in the United Kingdom under a Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) scholarship, where he obtained an Ordinary National Diploma specializing in electrical, electronic, communication, and computer engineering.
His professional development includes completing several courses in the UK such as International Sub-lieutenant, Long Navigation, and Principal Warfare Officer training. In Singapore, he undertook training programs focused on Mine Hunting Officer duties, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Basic Diving techniques. Additional certifications he holds comprise Oil Spill Response Level 3, Bridge Resource Management, RBAF Command & Staff courses, Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT), and completion of the RBAF 12th Executive Development Programme.
Military career
Beginning his naval career as an officer cadet in August 1995, Khairil graduated as a midshipman from Britannia Royal Naval College in April 1998. His progression through ranks included promotions to lieutenant (junior grade) in 1998, lieutenant in 2003, lieutenant commander in 2007, and commander by 2013. Early assignments saw him serve as navigation officer, executive officer, and commanding officer aboard Coastal Patrol Craft (CPC) and Missile Gun Boats. He also held staff positions at Navy Headquarters and Joint Force Headquarters.
Khairil played a role in RBN shipbuilding initiatives for vessels constructed in Glasgow (2003) and Bremen (2009). His command roles encompassed leadership of (2004), CPC Squadron Commander alongside CO of (2005), CO of (2006), and captain of following the Bremen project.
He acted as secretariat for the ADMM–Plus Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise in 2013 and participated in Exercise Tempest Express held in Australia. During Operation Typhoon Haiyan’s HADR mission to Tacloban in November 2013, he commanded . In 2014, Khairil commissioned a vessel in Bremen and captained her journey back to Brunei.
Leading KDB Daruttaqwa, he took part in Exercise IMDEX Singapore (2015) and Exercise Komodo Indonesia (2016). From July 2016, he served as Chief of Staff for the RBN before assuming the role of Commandant of Naval Training (CNT) at the Naval Training Centre in May 2018. After completing studies at the Royal Thai Armed Forces' National Defence College during 2019–2020, he was appointed Fleet Commander on 12 October 2020. In this capacity, he advanced RBN’s operational capabilities including introducing UAVs within the Fleet Tactical Aircraft Squadron. He handed over his CNT responsibilities on 4 December 2020.
In February 2022, Khairil represented the RBN at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Indo-Pacific Naval College Seminar. He took part in the fourth edition of the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) in June 2023 and commanded during the first ASEAN Solidarity Exercise held in Natuna, Indonesia, in September 2023. Elevated to Acting Deputy Commander of RBN on 3 November 2023, he attended the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium held in Qingdao, China, in April 2024. On 6 May 2024, he received the French frigate Vendémiaire during its official visit.
Personal life
Khairil is married to Suryanti binti Haji Mohammad Noor, and together they have two children, including a son.
Honours
Mohamad Sarif Pudin has been awarded the following distinctions:
National
- Fourth Class of the Order of Setia Negara Brunei (PSB)
- Third Class of the Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei (SMB)
- Excellent Service Medal (PIKB; awarded in 2018)
- Meritorious Service Medal (PJK)
- Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal (2017)
- General Service Medal
- Royal Brunei Armed Forces Golden Jubilee Medal (2011)
- Royal Brunei Armed Forces Diamond Jubilee Medal (2021)
Foreign
- : King Rama X Coronation Medal (2019)
- : Britannia Medal
- : Military Civic Action Medal